The Show's The Thing

NZ Truth, Issue 1205, 3 January 1929, Page 14

The Show's The Thing

HOW MUCH DO THEY KNOW? Quaint Cross-purpose Conundrums About The "Talkies" b

Since the first camera crank commenced its round of clicking along the celluloid way some, no, many years ago, numerous stunts have been pulled across. Cross-argu-ments there were m plenty, but the "Talkies"-— roundly condemned by the know-alls and /Fulsomely praised by the remainder — have beaten 'em all for debate. THOSE who have worked arduously ■ ■ with their spades m the difficult movie soil, often make the public wonder what 7 really is the trouble, or what the advantage of those new gadgets, and m this respect the pro-r nouncements of two men prominently associated with the industry, should be interesting. .-.-'■:■"■

P. Chailingsworth, a director of Hoyt's Theatres, Ltd., Australia, says he is convinced- that the "Talkies" have dug; themselves m, h'respective of possible prejudice.. Their success; he assures us, has been established. > Those words "possible prejudice" remind one of those spine-shaking' squawks that were emitted by early apparatus which aimed at synchronizing aural sounds with cinematography, and no doubt Challingsworth has these m mind. Prejudice, according to him, will be temporary only, however. . Henry Hayward, a New Zealand forerunner of the films, is ' accredited with the gloomy statement that "Talkies" are "an impending shadow over the whole world of entertainment." \ ..•'/' Haywai^d then rests upon the crutches held -put by an American movie multiplier named Schenk, who opines that "the most that 'talkies' call attain is to be a sister or handmaiden of the silent picture." So now we know all about it. But do we? We don't— and the same thing applies to the' movie people, but they like to appear wise. i